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Title: Respirator performance for STEL exposures in thermal environments

Abstract

An irritant smoke qualitative field test procedure was developed and used to evaluate the performance of rubber and silicone facepiece models of a half-mask air-purifying respirator under thermal and non-thermal working conditions for 37 maintenance workers at a coal-fired, electrical power generation plant. Prior to participating in field testing, subjects were screened using an irritant smoke qualitative fit test. During initial fit testing, 30% of the subjects failed to fit, and additional failures in subsequent tests resulted in an overall failure rate of 42%. The subjects experienced respiratory failures in both thermal and non-thermal environments even after the poor fits had been eliminated by the use of a fit test. Over 90% of the failures in the thermal environment and all of the failures in the non-thermal environment occurred within the first 9 min of the 15-min test period. The effectiveness of respirators of both facepiece materials was decreased significantly (p < .05) during thermal working conditions. Half-mask respirators of the type studied were found to provide inadequate protection for STEL exposures in thermal environments and may be inappropriate for use for a large percentage of working population. The irritant smoke qualitative field test procedure was shown to be effectivemore » for evaluating short-term performance of negative pressure, half-mask respirators, providing there are no interfering air currents, where HEPA or HEPA combination cartridges will provide adequate respiratory protection.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oklahoma Univ., Oklahoma City (USA). Health Sciences Center
OSTI Identifier:
5786733
Resource Type:
Thesis/Dissertation
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT; POWER PLANTS; ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY; RESPIRATORS; PERFORMANCE; COAL; PARTICULATES; TEMPERATURE EFFECTS; CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS; ENERGY SOURCES; FOSSIL FUELS; FUELS; MATERIALS; PARTICLES; 010900* - Coal, Lignite, & Peat- Environmental Aspects

Citation Formats

Visage, M D. Respirator performance for STEL exposures in thermal environments. United States: N. p., 1987. Web.
Visage, M D. Respirator performance for STEL exposures in thermal environments. United States.
Visage, M D. 1987. "Respirator performance for STEL exposures in thermal environments". United States.
@article{osti_5786733,
title = {Respirator performance for STEL exposures in thermal environments},
author = {Visage, M D},
abstractNote = {An irritant smoke qualitative field test procedure was developed and used to evaluate the performance of rubber and silicone facepiece models of a half-mask air-purifying respirator under thermal and non-thermal working conditions for 37 maintenance workers at a coal-fired, electrical power generation plant. Prior to participating in field testing, subjects were screened using an irritant smoke qualitative fit test. During initial fit testing, 30% of the subjects failed to fit, and additional failures in subsequent tests resulted in an overall failure rate of 42%. The subjects experienced respiratory failures in both thermal and non-thermal environments even after the poor fits had been eliminated by the use of a fit test. Over 90% of the failures in the thermal environment and all of the failures in the non-thermal environment occurred within the first 9 min of the 15-min test period. The effectiveness of respirators of both facepiece materials was decreased significantly (p < .05) during thermal working conditions. Half-mask respirators of the type studied were found to provide inadequate protection for STEL exposures in thermal environments and may be inappropriate for use for a large percentage of working population. The irritant smoke qualitative field test procedure was shown to be effective for evaluating short-term performance of negative pressure, half-mask respirators, providing there are no interfering air currents, where HEPA or HEPA combination cartridges will provide adequate respiratory protection.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5786733}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987}
}

Thesis/Dissertation:
Other availability
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